A DALE community may be one of the few “thankful” villages in County Durham which suffered no loss of life during the Great War.
Whorlton has no war memorial – but that doesn’t necessarily mean there were no casualties from the village, the parish council was told.
The issue came up during a discussion about whether the parish council should take part in the country’s commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War by lighting a beacon on November 11.
Cllr David Kinch told colleagues: “There is no memorial. That’s why nobody thinks anybody from the parish was lost, but it’s not clear.”
He said he would be in touch with members of The Bowes Museum’s First World War commemoration project To Serve King and Country to check whether anyone from Whorlton was killed or not.
“If that is the case, we can put a sign up saying we are a ‘thankful village’,” he said.
Cllr Kinch said as far as he was aware there were just four “thankful” villages in County Durham and only two which had suffered no loss of life in both the First and Second World Wars.
Members decided to ask residents whether they would like to take part in the 100th anniversary commemoration by lighting a beacon.
Cllr Kinch said it was a question of whether the village held two bonfires – one on November 5 for Guy Fawkes’ night and another on November 11 – or just one.
Chairwoman Cllr Lucy Hoskyns-Abrahall said the beacon was a nice idea, but the council would have to consider the practicalities.
Cllr George Stastny pointed out that the November 5 bonfire was organised by the village hall association.
Cllrs Ian Wilkinson and Lynda Powell said the best thing to do was ask what people wanted.
Cllr Wilkinson added that there was the question of volunteers being needed for the beacon.
Cllr Hoskyns-Abrahall said: “All we can do is ask people and take it from there.”
It was agreed that Cllr Kinch would submit details for inclusion in the village Flyer newsletter and the council would gauge feedback after its publication.
